IndiGo Declares Readiness for New Pilot Rest Regulations as Exemptions End
India's largest airline, IndiGo, has officially informed the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) that it is fully prepared to comply with the newly implemented Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) rules. This announcement comes as specific exemptions granted to the airline following its operational crisis in early December officially lapsed on February 10, 2026.
The DGCA confirmed in a statement that IndiGo Airlines has stated all necessary operational, fostering, and monitoring arrangements are being implemented to ensure full compliance with the approved FDTL scheme effective from February 11, 2026.
Pilot Availability and Schedule Maintenance
Last month, the carrier assured the aviation regulator that it would have sufficient pilot availability to maintain its current level of flight operations—over 2,200 daily flights—beyond the exemption deadline. IndiGo provided specific numbers to the DGCA:
- Captains: 2,400 available against a requirement of 2,280 for Airbus A320 fleet operations
- First Officers: 2,240 available against a requirement of 2,050
This represents a significant improvement from December when the airline reported being short by 65 captains for its Airbus A320 fleet to maintain its schedule under the new FDTL rules, despite having sufficient first officers.
Background of the New FDTL Rules
The new FDTL regulations, stipulated in January 2024, were implemented in two phases—July 1, 2025 and November 1, 2025—with the second phase particularly impacting IndiGo. These rules mandate:
- More rest periods for pilots
- Rationalization of flying duties, especially late-night operations
- Better management of pilot fatigue, a critical aviation safety risk
Key changes include redefining "night" as midnight to 6 am (previously midnight to 5 am) and capping the number of landings for pilots operating flights during this period at two, down from six previously. This meant pilots operating red-eye flights could only operate one additional flight in their duty shift.
IndiGo's Operational Challenges and Recovery
IndiGo, which commands approximately 65% of India's domestic market share, faced significant disruption when the new rules took effect. The crisis peaked on December 5, 2025, with over 1,600 of the airline's 2,300-plus daily flights cancelled in a single day.
The DGCA granted temporary exemptions from the new night definition and two-landing cap until February 10, providing crucial relief. The airline has since stabilized operations and is currently operating over 2,200 flights daily (around 1,900 domestic and the remainder international) following a 10% government-mandated curtailment of its approved domestic schedule until March.
IndiGo expects to maintain its current schedule throughout the Winter Schedule, which concludes on March 28. Sources close to the airline indicate a robust pilot hiring and onboarding pipeline, along with accelerated command upgrades for first officers already due for promotion to captains, which should improve roster resilience.
Regulatory Actions and Penalties
In response to the December operational meltdown, the DGCA imposed financial penalties totaling Rs 22.20 crore on IndiGo last month—the highest-ever regulatory penalty imposed by the DGCA on an airline. This amount slightly exceeds IndiGo's average daily net profit for the 2024-25 financial year.
A four-member DGCA inquiry committee identified primary causes for the disruption:
- Over-optimization of operations
- Inadequate preparedness and deficiencies in system software support for revised FDTL provisions
- Shortcomings in management structure and operational control
The airline's commitment to full compliance marks a significant step toward restoring operational stability and ensuring aviation safety standards are met across India's civil aviation sector.
